Four Times Eliot retrieved Something and
by leveragus
Summary: Eliot retrieves four presents. Written for leverage bingo. Some spoilers for season 5


**A/N This is a fic completely different from my style, but the prompt I had to use was Retrieval Specialist. Written for leverage_bingo**

**Four times Eliot retrieved something and one he didn't.**

Hardison walks to the table without looking p from his phone. Suddenly something catches his eye. On the table there is a rather big wrapped box .

"What the h…?" he looks curiously at it. There is a note attached and the words "For Hardison are simply written.

Without think twice about it, he tears the paper and opens the box. He peeks inside and his eye immediately light up like a child on Christmas Day.

"I can't believe it" he shouts and picks the object that was inside. "Is it the original?"

In his hands he was holding a Yoda puppet. He recognizes the designs from the film.  
"Oh my God, it is! I have the original Yoda puppet" he jumps excited.

Eliot has been watching the scene from behind the door with a satisfied smile. Lately his friend has been working hard after the fiasco with the gold job. He deserved a little present.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sophie is sulking at the table holding a strong cup of tea. She has woken that morning next to Nate hoping to receive a present from the mastermind. But he acted like there was nothing special about that day. Typical for that man to forget an anniversary, why was she expecting something different this time?

"Hey, is every okay Sophie?" Eliot asks her from where he was cooking behind the counter.

"Yeah, everything is bloody perfect" she replies angrily.

"Okay" he shrugs and continues cooking.

Suddenly they hear a knock at the door. Sophie looks up in alert, but she doesn't see a reaction from Eliot.

She gets up and opens the door. "Yes?"

"A delivery for Miss Devereaux" a young man hands her a paper to sign.

"For me?" She signs and looks in the hall to see where id the parcel.

She notices a flat big square leaning on the wall.

"Here you are" the delivery boy hands her the parcel.

"Thanks" she closes the door and rips the paper off. She gasps. Right in front of her was the painting she was stealing in Damascus when she officially met Nathan Ford.

"Hey, who was at the door?" Nate asks skipping down the stair. Soon he finds Sophie's lips on his.

"So you did remember" she kissed him again. "Thank you" and she goes to the admire the painting again.

Nate looks confused. He turns towards Eliot who just winks at him. Soon he puts two and two together. Now he owes the hitter a lot.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Today is a special day for her and she doesn't even realize it!" Sophie tells the others. "How can she forget her birthday?"

"It happens if you spend your childhood in foster care" Hardison shrugs. He had been lucky ending up with his nana. The best thing that happened to Parker was meeting Archie Leach.

"Well, you have to organize her party. It's her 30th birthday" she exclaims.

"Sophie…" Nate's tries to complain, but after seeing her glare he finishes his phrase in a different way "…is right. We should organize a party"

So that's how the "Let's steal a birthday party" began.

In the evening Parker enters Nate and Sophie's apartment. They had started living together after they all moved to Portland.

"Surprise" they all shout once they see her.

"Why are you all shouting at me?" she asks curiously.

"Parker," Hardison goes near her. "Today, it's your birthday" He pulls her in a big hug. "Happy birthday, girl"

"Really? I always forget about it!"

"Well, that's what family is for" Sophie gives her a hug too.

"We've got you favourite food, cake, presents…" Nate informs her.

"Presents?" Parker smiles eagerly.

"Well, I can see with what we have to start with" Eliot grins. "Here" he passes her a parcel.

"For me?" her eyes light up and she opens the box. Her eyes filled with tears. "I thought I had lost forever." In her hands is now Bunny. She had to leave him behind during their fast escape from Boston.

"Where did you find him?" she asks Eliot.

"Well, I am the retrieval specialist" he shrugs.

Soon a very grateful thief jumps in his arms. "Thank you so much!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Nathan Ford lets himself up slowly. He looks around and eyes fall on the calendar. He groans once her realizes what date it his: Father's day, what on the worst day of the year. Just one other day to remind him what failure her had been at that particular job.

He quickly gets dress and without giving a second glance to his apartment he goes downstairs to the bar. It is to early for it to be open, so he just goes behind the counter and pours himself a glass of whiskey. It's not the first time he drinks first thing in the morning. Today he just wants to get drunk quickly.

"I thought I would find here" Eliot sits on the stool in front of him.

Nate waves him off. "Eliot, today is not really a good day."

"Father's day, I know" he tells him calmly. " I just wanted to give you this" he slides a packet across the counter.

"What is it?"

"Well, open it"

Gently Nate opens the small box. He slowly lifts the baseball tucked inside. "How did…?"

He can still remember the last Father's day he had spent with his son. They had gone to Fenway Park and Sam had caught a homerun ball. They had it signed at the end of the game. Unfortunately, he could also remember the day he had to take it to a pawn shop, because he had no money left. When he had gone to get the ball back a week later, it was already gone.

"I am…"

"a retrieval specialist." Nate finishes for him. "I know" he still looks down at the ball. Tears are starting to form in his eyes. "Eliot," he lifts his head. "Thank you"

Eliot just gives him a silent nod and walks away.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Merry Christmas, everyone!" Parker bursts in Nate and Sophie's apartment jumping up and down excited.

"Parker" Nate's groans coming down the stairs. "I was still sleeping, isn't it a bit early?" he reluctantly makes his way to the kitchen and starts preparing some coffee.

"It's Christmas morning!" she says like it was most logical explanation.

"Ho ho ho!" Hardison comes through the door.

"Don't you guys know how to knock?" Sophie is next one to come down the stairs with still sleepy eyes. She joins Nate in the kitchen. "Merry Christmas" she whispers to him while leaning for a brief kiss.

"Oh, come on guys" Hardison groans. "There's not even mistletoe"

"I don't need mistletoe to kiss Sophie" Nate points out.

The front door opens again. "I see you're all already up" Eliot greets them

"No, by choice" Nate mumbles sipping his fresh made coffee.

"Presents!" Parker exclaims. "Let's open the presents!"

They all sit around the Christmas tree where some presents were put underneath it.

"Eliot goes first" Parker says passing the hitter a wrapped box.

"Wait? What? Why me?" he groans. He didn't like receiving presents.

"We know we are not retrieval specialist like you…" Nate tells him

"but we wanted to show how much we appreciate the gifts you've got us" Hardison continues.

"Even the ones I'm not supposed to know about" Sophie elbows Nate on his side and sends him a glare.

Eliot is speechless. "Thanks guys" he murmurs.


End file.
